Carl Jung’s idea of synchronicity is often highly interesting to us, as it’s a metaphysical phenomenon that we can all relate to. It is that moment, when unrelated things seem to line up in a profoundly meaningful way. A classic example of this is when you are thinking of someone and they send you a message you a few moments later.
Synchronicity is not only interesting to notice, it can also serve as a trustworthy guide on your path towards Individuation, or living out your soul’s mission. There are many guides on this path, though synchronicity may be the most “directional” guide, a force that can both inspire you to take action and open doors that lead to your higher purpose.
Synchronicity is a neutral force, and can guide you even if your mission is not in alignment with your higher purpose. For example, if you make a conscious intention to pursue pleasure, synchronicities may arise that lead you in this direction. Also the same for more altruistic intentions, such as making an impact on the well-being of the world.
These synchronicities may come to you in a variety of signs- meeting important people, special signs in nature (seeing a special animal), numbers, or unusual circumstances that open new opportunities. These signs may not be meaningful to others, but if they are meaningful for you, that is all that matters.
Synchronistic events are most likely more common than you might realize, as they can often present themselves in subtle ways. The subtle ways might be something someone said, a random opportunity that may have gone undetected, or a sign that may have gone unnoticed.
By reading this article in its entirety, you will gain some tools that will help you tune into your synchronicities and employ them for your benefit and advantage. This article will help you increase your awareness of synchronicity, teach you how to utilize synchronicity, share examples of types of synchronicity, discuss problems of lacking awareness of synchronicity, and reveal some of the fruits that you can access with synchronicity.
“Synchronicity is an ever present reality for those who have eyes to see.”
Carl Jung
Increasing your Awareness of Synchronicities
Synchronicities can be subtle, though you can learn to increase your awareness of them through practice. When you first begin noticing synchronicity, it can be overwhelmingly exciting, because each synchronicity will carry a sort of “living magic.” There are many practices to increase your ability to recognize synchronicity, though the simplest method is to increase your conscious awareness is meditation.
Meditation is the most fundamental practice for increasing your conscious awareness. Meditation does not need to be fancy, and only requires some time, and your breath. Synchronicity does not require you to meditate, but meditation will definitely allow you to be more present with life, and able to recognize the subtleties of synchronicity. If you are new to meditation, you can tap here for a very simple guide that will get you started. Apart from increasing your ability to notice synchronicities, meditation has a plethora of other benefits as well. If you wish you increase your overall life satisfaction, mental peace, success, and fortitude, learn to meditate!
Utilizing Synchronicity and Actualizing Your Goals and Dreams
A Simple Practice to Harness the Power of Synchronicity
- Set a goal (or intention). For example, your goal might be to have 800 readers visit your blog each day, for 5 consecutive days. Although this may seem like an unattainable goal, continue to hold it in your mind and accept it as a potential reality. stay persistent and symbolize good fortune. This regularly meaningless sign, becomes a very potent motivator to continue on with your goal (synchronicity). Despite being meaningless for some, this unusual gecko becomes just the spirit you need to carry on with your mission.
As you continue on with your mission, synchronicities will become more and more obvious (especially if you’ve been meditating), and will serve as your guide towards achieving your goal. Synchronicity can be exhilarating, especially as you notice these signs carrying you closer and closer to your goals and dreams.
Mandala from The Red Book, by Carl Jung. Examples of Synchronistic Events
Synchronicity can present itself in a variety of ways, here are a few of the most common:
- Numbers: For some, certain numbers may stand out at critical times, thus carrying a special meaning for the experiencer. An example might be noticing the number 888 on a license plate, and then on a letter, and then you receive a random check in the mail for $1018.88. This chain of events is a synchronistic pattern.
- Chance Encounters: When working towards your goal, you may run into an individual who opens a new door for you that leads you closer to attaining your goal. For example, you may be new to fishing in your area, and a random guy that you bump into on the street might share a secret fishing location with you. You go to the fishing spot he mentioned, and catch a ton of fish! This is a synchronistic event that led to fruits.
- Musical Messages: A special song to you might come on at the perfect time, perhaps when you are losing motivation and need an extra boost of encouragement. Or maybe there was a song you heard in one of your dreams the night before, and you hear it played the next day.
- Animals: As mentioned in the example above of the gecko, animals can carry very special meanings. And more famously, the example of Carl Jung’s Golden Scarab, which helped one of his patients overcome her mental ailments.
- Symbols: Similarly to numbers, noticing symbols at special times, or with certain frequency, can be called synchronicity.
- Dreams: Dreams are not typically considered synchronicity in themselves, however the circumstances in life that occur after dreams might be synchronistic. You may dream of regaining contact with an old friend, only for them to text you out of the blue the next day.
- Specific Information: As you work towards a goal, you may find obstacles that require certain knowledge or information. And after some time searching for this information, the answer may come to you in a seemingly unrelated way. You might find the answer in a song, or on a billboard, or a random page you flip to in a book. This arrival at an answer is synchronicity.
- Trickster Events: Synchronicity is not always pleasant and may present itself in a seemingly negative way. An example of this might be a negative event, such as receiving a speeding ticket. In the moment, this ticket might aggravate you, though the timing of it might open up new possibilities that lead you closer towards your meaningful goal.
Problems with not utilizing Synchronicity
A major problem with failing to recognize the power of synchronicity is that you may become easily discouraged with working towards your goal. In these cases, you may lose motivation and satisfaction might only be found in reaching the peak, or attaining your goal. With this worldview, there is little magic, or inspiration along your journey. Motivation may take the form of material gratification (money, praise, pride, etc), none of which are enduring.
Synchronicity is not only a guide, it is also a constant reminder that you have found a path and are on the right track. In this sense, as you work towards your goal, and with every synchronicity you encounter, your motivation will be renewed and refreshed.
Synchronicity can present itself rapidly, and typically reveals itself as you work closer and closer towards your goal. Synchronicity almost paves the way towards your goal, though most do not have the knowledge to recognize it. Most of us do however, notice synchronicities in off-chances, but most fail to utilize the full potential of tapping into synchronicity.
To boil down the problems with not having conscious awareness of synchronicity, you may carry the symptoms of being: easily discouraged, feeling lost/rudderless, unable to follow through with goals, lacking motivation, lacking faith, looking down on others, jealousy, anger. Ultimately, it is better to have an awareness of, and ability to utilize synchronicity.
Mandala from The Red Book, by Carl Jung. Fruits of Synchronicity
Learning to recognize and utilize synchronicity will lead to many fruits that will enhance your life experience. You will find more inspiration in achieving your goals and dreams, you will tap into an ancient and sacred guiding force that will be with you the rest of your life, you will find more clarity in life, meaningfulness, enhanced creativity, new doors will be opened, and a new appreciation for the beauty and magic of life.
This experience punctured the desired hole in her rationalism and broke the ice of her intellectual resistance.
Carl JungEven in clinical psychology, as Carl Jung said in his famous story of the Golden Scarab, synchronicity can be a powerful force. As Carl Jung said, the awareness of even a single event of synchronicity can change the mind in a tremendous way. In the case of the Golden Scarab, his patient was forever changed by this once instance of synchronicity. Carl Jung’s patient went from a dry and meaningless worldview, to a new and magical one in a matter of seconds. This is the power of synchronicity.
It will take practice of continued effort to utilize synchronicity to its fullest potential, though your effort will prove worthwhile. Goals and dreams that once seemed impossible will begin to open themselves up to you as potential realities. Some paths may be long, and require great effort, though with a new connection with synchronicity, you will find your way.
Once you learn to recognize and utilize synchronicity, it will become a trustworthy guide for you. It can become a sort of GPS system for whichever goal or intention you are pursuing. This will lead to many great adventures, thrilling discoveries, newfound creativity and endless inspiration.
Conclusion
If you wish to notice more synchronicities, set an intention and follow the path of synchronicity along the way. These intentions can be anything, and may even be certain goals. As you hold this intention and put effort towards it, you will quickly begin noticing synchronicities that begin pointing you towards your goal. Many consider these synchronicities to be a magical force, messages from angels, messages from sacred guides, or messages from God. This mystical property is due to their seemingly random occurrences, that lack any logical basis. Ultimately, understanding the force behind synchronicity does not matter in the context of learning to utilize it.
Learning to understand and utilize synchronicity will allow you to more easily move towards your goals and dreams, add a special energy of magic to your life, and give you comfort when times are tough. This article is only a small glimpse of the power and mystery of synchronicity.
Have you ever noticed any profound synchronicities? Share your story in the comments section below!
I have a friend that lives out of state- every time she weighs heavy on my mind- she will call me and ask if I have been thinking about her! I believe we are all connected and synchronicity confirms this to me.